Multi-purpose buckle or latch



`uly 11, 1961 A. J. RICHARDSON 2,991,529

MULTI-PURPOSE BUCKLE 0R LATCH Filed April 7. 1959 a. iamzaxau INVENTORvql-ed J Ric/10111501@ BY Mh ATTORNEY United `States Patent O 2,991,529MULTI-PURPOSE BUCKLE R LATC Alfred J. Richardson, |P.0. Box 927, Hayden,Ariz.

, Filed Apr. 7, 1959, Ser. No. 804,851 i -2 Claims.- (Cl.'24'-2^30), f(Granted under Title 35, U.S. Code(1952), sec. 266) 'I'he inventiondescribed herein, if patented, may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me ofany royalty thereon.

This invention relates to latches in general but more particularly to alatch for use with flexible material such as camouflage nets, tentdoors, tail gate -ies and cargo covers.

A primary object of the invention resides in providing such a latchwhich may be easily and quickly operated to either open or closedposition.

Another object of the invention consists in providing a latch of theforegoing type which is of strong and durable construction and yet onewhich may be readily repaired or parts replaced, if desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings,in which FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the multi-purpose latch showingthe two sections thereof secured to the fabric elements which are to befastened together;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, and lookingin the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, but with the latch sections moved toreleasable positions;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the fastener showing the parts ininterlocked position; and

FIG. 5 is an exploded view showing the various elements prior to beingassembled.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail and by reference numeral,the fabric with which the multi-purpose buckle is associated in thepresent illustration is indicated by the numeral 1, and the numerals 2and 3 indicate the two parts of the separable fastener. The element 2comprises the plate 4 and the tongue 5 extending forwardly therefrom andin the same plane as the plate itself. The tongue 5 is somewhat narrowerin width than the plate 4 so as to provide shoulders or abutments 5.This tongue is provided with an opening 6, a wall 6 of which opening isintended to cooperate with a projection on the other portion of theseparable fastener as will hereinafter appear. The plate 2 is providedwith a leaf spring 7 provided with a loop portion 8 which receives abolt 9 passing through the loop and through an opening in the plate 4and receiving a nut 10 for securing the parts together. The spring 7 hasa pair of ends 11 which are adapted to engage the socket member of thefastener for more securely holding the parts together againstinadvertent release.

To secure the plate 4 and its tongue 5 to the fabric 1 a clamping plate12 is provided having an area and shape substantially the same as theplate 4 and clamping the fabric between the two parts 4 and 12', andthese elements may be secured together in clamping relationship with thefabric by means of self-tapping screws 13 preferably located at the fourcorners of the plate.

Socket member 3 comprises plate 14 having an upturned flange 15 providedwith an elongated slot 16 having a length corresponding to the width ofthe tongue 5 which it is adapted to receive when the buckle or latch isbrought into operative relationship. This plate is provided with astruck-up projection 17 adapted to cooperate with the wall 6 of theopening 6 of the tongue 5. This wall 6 is spaced from the abutments 5 adistance apj A 2,991,529 7 Patented July 11, 1961 proximating thedistance betweensocket 15 and projectionlT so that when the parts arebrought together, the wall 1- 6 will frictionally engage the projection17 as the abutments -5" engagethe ange or socket portion 15, as clearlyindicatedin FIGS. 2 and 3. In order to supplement the frictionalengagement between the parts 17 and 6 and to secure the latch againstinadvertent separation, the spring 7 is employed.

This socket member 15 with its plate 14 is secured to the fabric 1 byclamping the fabric between the plate 14 and a clamping plate 18 in thesame manner as heretofore mentioned in connection with the tongue 5 andits plate 4, self-tapping screws 19 being employed for securing theparts together.

It is believed that the operation of the multi-purpose buckle orseparable fastener will be readily understood from the foregoingdescription of the various parts. However, it may be mentioned that insecuring the latch, the tongue 5 is passed through the slot 16 of thesocket portion `15 until the abutments 5 are brought up against theelement 15 while the tension is stored in the spring 7 by its engagementwith the flange 15. With the parts in this relationship, the wall 6 ofthe opening 6 will approximately register the free end of projection 17and the element 2 of the fastener comprising the members 4-5 will beswung about its pivots 5', 5' until wall 6 engages over the projection17 as clearly indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3. From this relationship, itwill be apparent that the spring 7 will draw the plate 4 and tongue 5toward the left in FIG. 2, so as to tightly impinge the wall 6 of thetongue against the abutment 17 and thus prevent inadvertent release ofthe parts. To release the buckle, it will only be necessary to applysome slight force on the elements 2 and 3 longitudinally thereof tosomewhat relieve the pressure between the parts 17 and 6 so that thetongue 5 may be swung downwardly (FIGS. 2 and 3) to thereby release thewall 6 from the projection 17, thereby permitting the withdrawal of thetongue 5 from the slot 16 in the socket member 15.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the attacheddrawings, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I havedevised a relatively simple and inexpensive construction of amulti-purpose buckle for use in connection with camouflage nets, tentdoors, etc., that the latch is of a strong and durable construction andthat the parts may be readily replaced, if necessary, by releasing thevarious screw-type fasteners heretofore referred to.

In accordance with the patent statutes, I have described what I nowconsider to be the preferred form of the invention, but since variousminor changes may be made in structural details without departing fromthe spirit of the invention, it is intended that all such changes beincluded within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A separable `fastener comprising a pair of plates, a tongue extendingfrom an end of one of said plates, a socket portion comprising a singleflange bent up from the adjacent end of the other plate and providedwith a tongue-receiving slot, said tongue provided with an openingadjacent its forward end, a projection on the plate which carries thesocket, said projection being so disposed as to frictionally engage theforward wall of the opening in the tongue when the latter is positionedin the socket, and a spring fixed to said tongue-bearing plate andengaging said ange, whereby the frictional engagement between said walland projection is substantially increased.

2. A separable fastener comprising a pair of plates, each of said platesbeing secured to a piece of flexible material, a tongue extending froman end of one of said 3 4 plates, a socket portion comprising a singleange bent References ACited in the le of this patent up from theadjacent end of the other plate and pro- UNITED STATES PATENTS videdwith a tongue-receiving slot, said tongue provided with an openingadjacent its forward end, a projection 271001 Thompson Ian 23 1883 onthe ,plate whichtcfarries the socket, said projection being. 5 gmsllWaslbume u Feb- 13 190g soldisposed as-tofrictionally enguagevtheforwrdlwall lsgtl "liegt-2g of the opening in" .the tonguewhenrthelatter ispositioned .f y inthe socket, and a spring fixed tosaid tongue-bearing kFCREGN PATENTS plate and engaging, Said, ange,whereby the frictona'l en- 180,611 Germany Jan. 2s, 1907 gagernentbetween said walland projection Vis Asubstantially w 213,813 AustraliaMar. 14, 1958 increased. 530,423 Gerrnany July 29, 1931

